Primate Worker’s Thumb Partially Amputated After Bonobo Bite

A primate worker is down a digit after an encounter with a bonobo. On Friday, an employee at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden underwent a partial thumb amputation following a bonobo attack, the zoo confirmed in a press release, according to multiple outlets.

The incident occurred “behind the scenes” at the Jungle Trails habitat, NBC News reported. As the employee was giving food and medicine to the primate, it big through the mesh barrier, injuring the worker. No other animals or staff were involved in the situation.

The employee was hospitalized after the encounter. Following their partial thumb amputation, the employee is in stable condition. The zoo is currently investigating what led to the bite.

“The Cincinnati Zoo prioritizes the safety of its employees and animals,” the zoo said, according to the local Fox station. “Bonobos are highly intelligent and social primates, and interactions with them involve established protocols and safety procedures. At no time were the bonobos outside their habitat and per zoo policy, animal care staff and great apes do not occupy shared spaces.”

According to the World Wildlife Fund, bonobos are an endangered species that share 98.7 percent of their DNA with humans. The primate can grow up to 35 inches tall and weigh up to 86 pounds. There are between 10,000 and 50,000 bonobos left in the world.

While the organization described bonobos as “more peaceful” than the chimpanzee, a recent study found that male bonobos engage in three times the number of aggressive acts toward other males than chimps do.